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Braves trio earns inaugural MLB.com honors

Braves trio earns inaugural MLB.com honors

9/13/11: Brian McCann launches a three-run homer over the center-field wall, giving the Braves a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning

By Mark Bowman
/
MLB.com |

ATLANTA -- Brian McCann and Craig Kimbrel were disappointed about the way they performed near the end of this past season. But as postseason honors have been announced over the past couple weeks, they have been reminded that their respective seasons, as a whole, were far from disappointing.

McCann and Kimbrel have added to their list of postseason honors by being recognized by MLB.com as two of the Braves' top performers this year. The website has recognized McCann as the team's Player of the Year, Tim Hudson as the team's Pitcher of the Year, and Kimbrel as the team's Breakout Player of the Year.

Last week, McCann became the first player to win five Silver Slugger Awards while playing for the Braves. The 27-year-old six-time All-Star is now one of six catchers to win this honor at least five times.

McCann batted just .180 with six home runs in the 37 games he played after seemingly rushing back from the disabled list in August. But he was one of the club's most reliable threats through the season's first four months and still ended up leading the team with an .817 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage).

McCann batted .270 and matched a career high with 24 home runs.

Kimbrel and McCann were both selected to the Sporting News' National League All-Star team.

This was just one of the many honors recently bestowed upon Kimbrel, who is the front-runner to be win the NL Rookie of the Year Award when the Baseball Writers' Association of America announces the winner on Nov. 14. The 23-year-old closer was also named the NL's Most Outstanding Rookie during last week's Players Choice Awards.

Kimbrel set a Major League rookie record with 46 saves, and he posted a 2.10 ERA while compiling 77 innings in 79 appearances -- the second-highest total for any big league pitcher.

The hard-throwing closer recorded 127 strikeouts in 77 innings and limited opponents to a .178 batting average. Before blowing three of his final five save opportunities, he had worked 37 1/3 scoreless innings dating back to the middle of June.

Hudson proved to be the most reliable asset in a starting rotation that missed Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson's contributions down the stretch.

Hudson went 16-10 with a 3.22 ERA in 32 starts. The 36-year-old veteran led the team in wins and innings pitched (215). He earned three of the nine wins the Braves totaled during their disappointing September.

National Awards

MVP

Cy Young

Rookie of the Year

John Evers

1914

Warren Spahn

1957

Alvin Dark

1948

Robert Elliott

1947

Tom Glavine

1991

Samuel Jethroe

1950

Hank Aaron

1957

Greg Maddux

1993

Earl Williams

1971

Dale Murphy

1982

Greg Maddux

1994

Bob Horner

1978

Dale Murphy

1983

Greg Maddux

1995

David Justice

1990

Terry Pendleton

1991

John Smoltz

1996

Rafael Furcal

2000

Chipper Jones

1999

Tom Glavine

1998

Manager of the Year

Hank Aaron Award

Roberto Clemente
Award

Bobby Cox

1991

Andruw Jones

2005

John Smoltz

2005

Bobby Cox

2004

Bobby Cox

2005

Rawlings Gold Glove

Silver Slugger

Del Crandall, C

1958

Dale Murphy, OF

1982

Hank Aaron, OF

1958

Dale Murphy, OF

1983

Hank Aaron, OF

1959

Dale Murphy, OF

1984

Del Crandall, C

1959

Dale Murphy, OF

1985

Hank Aaron, OF

1960

Tom Glavine, P

1991

Del Crandall, C

1960

Ron Gant, OF

1991

Del Crandall, C

1962

Fred McGriff, 1B

1993

Joe Torre, C

1965

David Justice, OF

1993

Felix Millan, 2B

1969

Tom Glavine, P

1995

Clete Boyer, 3B

1969

Tom Glavine, P

1996

Felix Millan, 2B

1972

John Smoltz, P

1997

Phil Niekro, P

1978

Jeff Blauser, SS

1997

Phil Niekro, P

1979

Tom Glavine, P

1998

Phil Niekro, P

1980

Chipper Jones, 3B

1999

Phil Niekro, P

1982

Chipper Jones, 3B

2000

Dale Murphy, OF

1982

Gary Sheffield, OF

2003

Phil Niekro, P

1983

Javy Lopez, C

2003

Dale Murphy, OF

1983

Mike Hampton, P

2003

Dale Murphy, OF

1984

Johny Estrada, C

2004

Dale Murphy, OF

1985

Andruw Jones, OF

2005

Dale Murphy, OF

1986

Brian McCann, C

2006

Terry Pendleton, 3B

1992

Brian McCann, C

2008

Greg Maddux, P

1993

Brian McCann, C

2009

Greg Maddux, P

1994

Greg Maddux, P

1995

Marquis Grissom, OF

1995

Greg Maddux, P

1996

Marquis Grissom, OF

1996

Greg Maddux, P

1997

Greg Maddux, P

1998

Andruw Jones, OF

1998

Greg Maddux, P

1999

Andruw Jones, OF

1999

Greg Maddux, P

2000

Andruw Jones, OF

2000

Greg Maddux, P

2001

Andruw Jones, OF

2001

Greg Maddux, P

2002

Andruw Jones, OF

2002

Mike Hampton, P

2003

Andruw Jones, OF

2004

Andruw Jones, OF

2005

Andruw Jones, OF

2006

Andruw Jones, OF

2007

Jeff Francoeur, OF

2007

Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.